The Memphis Blues,Furry Lewis,1971,Signed,,VG+ to Excellent

$

99

Bio of Furry below. Very versatile career, friends of Don Nix, Leon Russell, and opened for Stones 2 times; on Johnny Carson Show too. Major part of Memphis Music scene during the 60s/70s Blues Revival. I was friend of Furry and had him sign a few LPs for me; I would hire him for small party gigs, keg parties, etc. Always $50 and a pint of Ten High Bourbon with a pack of Pall Malls, no filter. Was at his house (1/2 of a shotgun shack) often with friends, drinking, smoking (he didn't care what you smoked) and listening to him after he pulled off his leg on the side of bed, put his pistol under the pillow, pulled his denture teeth out; and listen to his bottleneck style (thought by some he developed style) while holding his harmonica in his mouth, and blowing it; playing against the top of acoustic guitar because hands were busy; thumbing base lines while playing bottleneck rhythm/lead. Now it all seems surreal.

Jonnie Mitchel recorded "Furry Sings The Blues". Story by Furry was he made his first "guitar" from a cigar box, wall lathing, and copper wire from telephone/telegraph. This is what he said and is documented. He lost his leg by a train, per Furry, from train "Hoboing".  He was an employee of the City Of Memphis Garbage Department for years.   Cant make this stuff up

This LP does not show up on any discography; just a local pressing. Google Furry Lewis.

Pictures  (1978) not in this lot, but are available upon inquiry. News clippings are and hand drawn map to his house. I had him as a guest for  my Final Paper/Examination as a living example (oldest Delta artist alive at time) in college (know known as Rhodes in Memphis) for a  Rural Blues Ethnography. And yes, he is sipping Ten High Bourbon and could smoke in the classroom.

Walter E. "Furry" Lewis (March 6, 1893 – September 14, 1981)[1] was an American country blues guitarist and songwriter from Memphis, Tennessee. Lewis was one of the first of the blues musicians active in the 1920s to be brought out of retirement and given new opportunities to record during the folk blues revival of the 1960s.

Walter E. Lewis was born in Greenwood, Mississippi. His family moved to Memphis when he was aged seven.[1] He acquired the nickname "Furry" from childhood playmates.[2] By 1908, he was playing solo at parties, in taverns, and on the street. He was also invited to play several dates with W. C. Handy's Orchestra.[2]

In his travels as a musician, he was exposed him to a wide variety of performers, including Bessie Smith, Blind Lemon Jefferson, and Alger "Texas" Alexander. Like his contemporary Frank Stokes, he grew tired of traveling and took a permanent job in 1922. His position as a street sweeper for the city of Memphis, a job he held until his retirement in 1966, allowed him to remain active musically in Memphis.[2]

Lewis made his first recordings for Vocalion Records in Chicago in 1927.[3] A year later he recorded for Victor Records at the Memphis Auditorium, in a session with the Memphis Jug Band, Jim Jackson, Frank Stokes, and others. He again recorded for Vocalion in Memphis in 1929.[2] The tracks were mostly blues but included two-part versions of "Casey Jones" and "John Henry". He sometimes fingerpicked and sometimes played with a slide.[4] He recorded many successful records in the late 1920s, including "Kassie Jones", "Billy Lyons & Stack-O-Lee" and "Judge Harsh Blues" (later called "Good Morning Judge").

In 1969, the record producer Terry Manning recorded Lewis in his Fourth Street apartment near Beale Street. These recordings were released in Europe at the time by Barclay Records and again in the early 1990s by Lucky Seven Records in the United States and in 2006 by Universal Records. Joni Mitchell's song "Furry Sings the Blues" (on her album Hejira), is about her visit to Lewis's apartment and a mostly ruined Beale Street on February 5, 1976. Lewis despised the Mitchell song and demanded she pay him royalties.[5]

In 1972 he was the featured performer in the Memphis Blues Caravan, which included Bukka White, Sleepy John Estes, Clarence Nelson, Hammie Nixon, Memphis Piano Red, Sam Chatmon, and Mose Vinson.[citation needed]

He opened twice for the Rolling Stones, performed on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, had a part in a Burt Reynolds movie (W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings, 1975), and was profiled in Playboy magazine.[1][4]

Lewis began to lose his eyesight because of cataracts in his final years. He contracted pneumonia in 1981, which led to his death from heart failure in Memphis on September 14 of that year, at the age of 88.[6] He is buried in the Hollywood Cemetery, in South Memphis, where his grave bears two headstones, the second purchased by fans.[5]

This LP is Excellent to Mint- based on visual inspection. Part of my personal collection so good turntable used. Europe can expect to pay $19.00+ for first LP, depending on cover and vinyl weight.

I combine shipping and do not leave feedback until received.

IMPORTANT ALL BUYERS READ BELOW.

These LPs have not been played for over 20 years. Unless otherwise noted, they are Good+, minimal surface noise, not bad “pops” and definitely no skips. I grade by visual inspection and have not preened (cleaned) for photographs. I do not have time to play each LP. I do the best I can in judging condition visually. Most folks agree with my visual opinion. If you are picky, consider the LPs a grade down. I already do that when making my  posting, so you will be two grades down and hopefully will be satisfied. I will return all LPs upon request and will pay for return postage, but I also elect to prohibit further sales. Covers will show storage and moving (college dorm) wear, most have original sleeves and a few still have inserts.

I am selling the LPs, and if Cover condition is overly important to you, you need to ask questions. The albums have been moved at least 20 times in mass through the years. Many Covers/Jackets and inner sleeves have edge wear and splits, and many were repaired 20 + years ago. Due to comments, all Covers are graded to lowest though many are excellent. The repair tape was masking tape which proved a better choice than cellophane tape. Please ask specific questions concerning covers.

I am selling my personal album collection of almost fifty years, about 3000, begin with 1967. I never lent out LPs, always used a good turn-table, never used a drop spindle, always preened LPs before playing, and always put back into sleeve/cover before playing next album. I am going from A to Z and have an excellent collection of obscure “classic” rock bands from 1967 to 1980s, mostly early stuff. These LPs have not been played for over 20 years. Unless otherwise noted, they are Good+, minimal surface noise, not bad “pops” and definitely no skips. The albums have been moved at least 20 times in mass through the years. Many Covers/Jackets and inner sleeves have edge wear/splits, and many were repaired 20 + years ago. Due to comments, all Covers are graded to lowest though many are excellent. The repair tape was masking tape which proved a better choice than cellophane tape. Please ask specific questions concerning covers. I am sell the LPs and covers are secondary to my listing. I will mention if cover particularly worn or fantastic shape when needed, but I will not spend the time to analyze each cover for particulars. I grade LPs by visual inspection and have not preened (cleaned) for photographs. I have missed a Pop I am told. Not on purpose is all I can say. Covers will show storage and moving (college dorm) wear, most have original inner paper sleeve and a few still have inserts.

I am not taking massive pictures because I know what I am offering and you can be assured what you see is as I describe. Many, many will be classified as Mint – because again, these LPS were cared for since I purchased and some were hardly ever played.

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